FAQs

Are all your products suitable for vegans?

Some of our products are vegan and many are not. The animal-derived products we may use are goat’s milk, yogurt, honey, eggs, and beeswax. Most of our lotion bars contain beeswax and some of our soaps contain dairy milk products or honey. Our soaps contain no animal fats; we use a vegan base of natural plant oils and butters. Our products are never tested on animals (except our human volunteers).

Can I return my product if it arrives melted, or melts while I've stored it?

Products labeled with our Melt Warning are made with ingredients that allow the product to melt around body temperature. During the summer months, these products can get very warm in transit and may melt into liquid. Soap Café is not responsible if the warned items arrive melted, and in most cases you should be able to pop the products into the fridge and still be able to use them. Please note, we are not able to replace or refund these items if they melt in transit. Keep in mind that if you put them on the radiator or in direct sunlight they’re going to turn into liquid too, so please keep them someplace cool.

I heard that some natural products are not safe during pregnancy. Is that true?

The issue that seems to be of most concern is the use of essential oils during pregnancy. There is an awful lot of confusion and inaccurate information concerning the use of essential oils in pregnancy. The question of safety and safety testing has a lot to do with the actual “dose” of herb/essential oils. Most of the clinical research on essential oil safety is based on information for internal (actually ingesting) large doses of herbs, essential oils, or herbal "medicines." The concentration of essential oils that are absorbed through inhalation, as in aromatherapy, and massage is much lower than if you were actually ingesting the oil. Also aromatherapy and massage therapy use much higher concentrations of essential oils than you find in soap or even in eating the herb. With aromatherapy you are inhaling the high concentrations which get absorbed via the lungs and in the massage therapy the essential oils remain on your skin and are absorbed. Soap does not remain on your skin very long.

The bar of soap I purchase is slightly different from the picture I saw on your website?

All of our soaps are handmade. As a result, design, texture, and colour variations may occur. This is part of the soap's character and charm.

What is the shelf life of your natural soap?

Although handmade soap will actually get milder with age, please use it within a year since it contains all natural fresh ingredients and no artificial preservatives.

Why does natural soap need to ‘cure’?

We allow our soaps to naturally air cure for seven to nine weeks and our shampoo bars for eight to ten weeks. During the first two weeks of curing, the saponification process is completed. As the soap continues to cure, most of the water used in the recipe evaporates. The curing process insures a milder, harder, longer lasting bar, with a very rich lather.

Why has the scent in my bar of soap dimished?

Although essentials are very potent, they are also “volatile”, which means they evaporate rapidly. Handmade soaps made with pure essential oils usually have a very soft, subtle fragrance. As the soap ‘ages’, the essential oils will evaporate off the outer layer of the bar. However, the oils remain inside the soap and as you use it in your shower or bath the lovely subtle scent will return.

Why is a bar of natural soap more expensive then a commercial one?

Our soaps are handmade with All Natural, wholesome, fresh ingredients. All natural ingredients are expensive. At the grocery store compare the price of pure fresh orange juice to an orange flavoured drink.

Why is my bar of soap changing colour?

All of the ingredients that go into our soap are natural— colours in nature change over time. It is part of the natural process.

Why is my bar of soap forming a ‘wet’ lager on the surface?

Handmade soaps contain glycerine, a natural by-product of the soap making process. Glycerine is a humectant and emollient thus attracting moisture from the air and into your skin.

Why is your bar of soap is more softer then a commercial one?

Natural soaps are normally softer than commercial soaps because they retain their natural glycerin and contain no hardening chemicals or synthetic waxes.